Airlines Egyptair receives new 787 Dreamliner on sustainable aviation fuel

The fifth 787 Dreamliner of Egyptair was delivered to the flag-carrier last week. This time however, the delivery flight from Seattle to Cairo represents the longest 787 delivery flight while using sustainable fuel.

Boeing has launched a programme, where operators can take delivery of their new aircraft on sustainable fuel for the flight home. Egyptair, the national carrier of the country, took advantage of the new Boeing program.

Regarding the flight, Boeing wrote in a statement: "For the flight to its home base in Cairo, EGYPTAIR became the first operator to use a new Boeing program that offers operators the option to use biofuel on delivery flights. Sustainable aviation fuels have been shown to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by up to 80 percent through its lifecycle. The 5,925 nautical-mile (10,973 kms) trip flight from Seattle to Cairo represents the longest 787 delivery flight using sustainable fuel."

Ahmed Adel, chairman and CEO of EGYPTAIR Holding Company said: “We are committed to the sustainable growth of our airline and supporting commercial aviation’s efforts to protect the environment [...] The 787-9 Dreamliner is a great fit for our network and provides our customers with a responsible choice for air travel.”

The aircraft delivered is the fifth of six aircraft ordered through Dublin-based leasing company AerCap. The initial order dates back to 2017.

“We are delighted to support EGYPTAIR’s fleet renewal strategy and to be a part of this important industry-first milestone,” said Aengus Kelly, CEO of AerCap. “The 787 Dreamliner is a perfect choice for EGYPTAIR, allowing the airline to reduce fuel use and emissions by up to 25 percent while meeting its sustainable growth ambitions, as well as supporting AerCap’s target to transition its fleet to over two-thirds new technology aircraft by 2021.”

AerCap is the world´s largest customer of the 787 Dreamliner. Currently, the company owns a total of 114 aircraft, some of them however are managed or still on order.

Egyptair is the flag-carrier airline of Egypt and was initially founded back in 1932. The airline has subsidiary airlines in EgyptAir Cargo and EgyptAir Express. The headquarters and the main operational base are at Cairo International Airport. The current fleet consists of 65 aircraft, including four Airbus A320s, 10 A330s, 29 Boeing 737s, six 777s, five 787s and 11 Embraer E170. In the coming months, the airline will also take over its first Airbus A220 aircraft.